Hair clip having spring shielding device

ABSTRACT

A hair clip includes two clamping members each having a plate and an intermediate segment coupled between two legs each of which includes one or more teeth to engage with hair of users. One of the clamping members includes a panel extended from the plate and having an opening to receive a coil spring and a shaft, another clamping member includes two ears to support the ends of the shaft. The coil spring includes two ends engaged with the clamping members to bias the legs of the clamping members toward each other. The intermediate segments of the clamping members may be formed as hand grips for being actuated by the users.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a hair clip, and more particularly to a hair clip having a device or mechanism to shield spring members.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] The applicant has developed various kinds of typical hair clips which comprise a pair of clamping members pivotally or rotatably coupled together with a pivot shaft and one or more spring members.

[0005] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,639 B1 to Shyu discloses one of the typical hair clips which also comprise a pair of clamping members pivotally or rotatably coupled together with a pivot shaft and a spring member. One of the clamping members includes a pair of seats to support the pivot shaft. The spring member is engaged onto the pivot shaft and includes two ends to engage with the clamping members respectively.

[0006] However, for most of the typical hair clips, the spring members are exposed, and may easily hurt people inadvertently. Particularly, while assembling the spring member between the clamping members, the spring members may be sprung everywhere, and may thus easily hurt the workers or others.

[0007] In addition, the typical hair clips should comprise two handles or hand grips extended from the clamping members respectively, for allowing the users to force the clamping members away from each other against the spring members. However, the extension of the handles or handgrips from the clamping members may spoil the outer appearance of the hair clips.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,859 B1 to Shyu discloses another typical hair clip which also comprises a pair of clamping members pivotally or rotatably coupled together with a spring member. However, the spring member is flexible and may not be easily engaged between the clamping members. In addition, the typical hair clips should comprise two handles or handgrips extended from the clamping members respectively, which may also spoil the outer appearance of the hair clips.

[0009] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional hair clips.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a hair clip including a device or mechanism to shield spring members and to prevent the spring members from hurting people.

[0011] The other objective of the present invention is to provide a hair clip including two clamping members each having a portion to be formed as the handles or hand grips, without having additional handles or hand grips extended therefrom, and thus without spoiling the outer appearance of the hair clip.

[0012] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a hair clip comprising two clamping members each including two legs and an intermediate segment coupled between the legs, and an opening formed therein and defined between the legs thereof, and each including at least one tooth formed in each of the legs thereof, for engaging with hair of users, each of the clamping members including a plate extended from the intermediate segment thereof, a first clamping member of the clamping members including a panel extended from the plate thereof and inclined relative to the plate, and having an opening formed therein, a second clamping member of the clamping members including two ears extended from the plate thereof and each having an orifice formed therein, a coil spring received in the opening of the panel, and including two ends extended out of the opening of the panel, and including a bore formed therein, and a pivot shaft engaged through the bore of the coil spring, and including two ends received in the orifices of the ears of the second clamping member, to pivotally secure the panel of the first clamping member to the second clamping member, a first end of the ends of the coil spring being engaged with the plate of the first clamping member, and a second end of the ends of the coil spring being engaged with the plate of the second clamping member, to bias the legs of the clamping member toward each other, and the intermediate segments of the clamping members being formed as hand grips for being actuated by the users. The spring member may thus be shielded and may be prevented from hurting people.

[0013] The plate of the second clamping member includes a depression formed therein to receive the second end of the coil spring. The first clamping member includes a seat provided beside the panel thereof, the seat includes a depression formed therein to receive the first end of the coil spring.

[0014] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a hair clip in accordance with the present invention;

[0016]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hair clip;

[0017]FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the operation of the hair clip;

[0018]FIG. 4 is an end view of the hair clip;

[0019]FIG. 5 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the operation of the hair clip;

[0020]FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the other embodiment of the hair clip;

[0021]FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to FIGS. 2, 6, illustrating a further embodiment of the hair clip; and

[0022]FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar to FIGS. 2, 6 and 7 illustrating a still further embodiment of the hair clip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0023] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a hair clip in accordance with the present invention comprises a pair of clamping members 1, 2 each including a substantially U-shaped structure as seen from either the front or the rear portion thereof, and each having an intermediate portion or segment 10, 20 and two legs 11, 21. Each of the clamping members 1, 2 includes a substantially C-shaped structure as seen from either of the end portion thereof (FIGS. 4, 5).

[0024] For example, each of the clamping members 1, 2 includes an opening 17, 27 formed in the middle portion thereof or defined between the legs 11, 21 thereof, and includes one or more teeth 18, 28 formed in the free end of the legs 11, 21 thereof, for engaging with hair of users. The intermediate segment 10, 20 of each of the clamping members 1, 2 may be formed as a handle or hand grip 16, 26 for being held and forced and actuated by the users (FIG. 3).

[0025] Each of the clamping members 1, 2 includes a plate 12, 22 extended from the intermediate segment 10, 20 thereof, and perpendicular to or inclined relative to the intermediate segment 10, 20 thereof. A first clamping member 1 of the clamping members 1, 2 includes a panel 13 extended from the plate 12 and inclined relative to the plate 12, and having an opening 14 laterally formed therein, and includes a seat 15 provided beside the panel 13 and having a depression 19 formed therein (FIG. 1).

[0026] A second clamping member 2 of the clamping members 1, 2 includes two ears 23 extended from the plate 22 and each having an orifice 24 formed therein, and includes a depression 29 formed beside one of the ears 23 thereof (FIG. 1). A coil spring 3 is engaged through the opening 14 of the panel 13 of the first clamping member 1 and includes a bore 33 formed therein to receive a shaft 4 therein.

[0027] The shaft 4 has two ends engaged through the orifices 24 of the ears 23 and secured to the ears 23, so as to pivotally or rotatably secure the panel 13 and the first clamping member 1 to the second clamping member 2. The spring 3 includes two ends 31, 32 extended out of the opening 14 of the panel 13, and received or seated within the depressions 19, 29 of the clamping members 1, 2 respectively, for biasing the legs 11, 21 and the teeth 18, 28 of the clamping members 1, 2 toward each other, and to engage with the hair of the users.

[0028] The legs 11, 21 and the teeth 18, 28 of the clamping members 1, 2 are arranged on one side of the pivot shaft 4, and the intermediate segments 10, 20 or the handles or hand grips 16, 26 of the clamping members 1, 2 are arranged on the other side of the pivot shaft 4. Or, the pivot shaft 4 is arranged between the legs 11, 21 and the teeth 18, 28 of the clamping members 1, 2 and the intermediate segments 10, 20 or the handles or hand grips 16, 26 of the clamping members 1, 2, such that the legs 11, 21 and the teeth 18, 28 of the clamping members 1, 2 may be forced away from each other against the spring 3 by forcing the handles or hand grips 16, 26 of the clamping members 1, 2 toward each other.

[0029] It is to be noted that the pivot shaft 4 is engaged within the bore 33 of the spring 3, for allowing the spring 3 to be solidly secured between the panel 13 and the ears 23 of the clamping members 1, 2 with the pivot shaft 4. The provision of the plates 12, 22 on the clamping members 1, 2 may increase the distance between the clamping members 1, 2, and thus allow the hair clip to clamp onto a greater portion of the hair of the users.

[0030] Referring next to FIGS. 6-8, the clamping members 1, 2 may also be formed into various kinds of shapes or configurations or contours, for decorative purposes.

[0031] Accordingly, the hair clip in accordance with the present invention includes a spring member that may be shielded and may thus be prevented from hurting people, and includes two clamping members each having a portion to be formed as the handles or hand grips, without having additional handles or hand grips extended therefrom, and thus without spoiling the outer appearance of the hair clip.

[0032] Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

I claim:
 1. A hair clip comprising: two clamping members each including two legs and an intermediate segment coupled between said legs, and an opening formed therein and defined between said legs thereof, and each including at least one tooth formed in each of said legs thereof, for engaging with hair of users, each of said clamping members including a plate extended from said intermediate segment thereof, a first clamping member of said clamping members including a panel extended from said plate thereof, and having an opening formed therein, a second clamping member of said clamping members including two ears extended from said plate thereof and each having an orifice formed therein, a coil spring received in said opening of said panel, and including two ends extended out of said opening of said panel, and including a bore formed therein, and a pivot shaft engaged through said bore of said coil spring, and including two ends received in said orifices of said ears of said second clamping member, to pivotally secure said panel of said first clamping member to said second clamping member, a first end of said ends of said coil spring being engaged with said plate of said first clamping member, and a second end of said ends of said coil spring being engaged with said plate of said second clamping member, to bias said legs of said clamping member toward each other, and said intermediate segments of said clamping members being formed as hand grips for being actuated by the users.
 2. The hair clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate of said second clamping member includes a depression formed therein to receive said second end of said coil spring.
 3. The hair clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first clamping member includes a seat provided beside said panel thereof, said seat includes a depression formed therein to receive said first end of said coil spring. 